The National Food Authority assured the public of ample rice buffer stocks for the lean season.
NFA officer-in-charge Tomas Escarez said the country’s rice inventory stood at 3.54 million metric tons, or good enough for 110 days based on the national daily requirement of 32,560 MT.
About 1.02 million metric tons are with the NFA and 1.04 million metric tons are held as commercial rice, while 1.47 million metric tons are household stocks.
Escarez said the NFA had more than 30-day buffer stock needed at the start of the lean months.
“We have more than enough stocks of the good quality, low-priced NFA rice for the lean months,” Escarez said.
“These stocks are now strategically pre-positioned across the country, especially in calamity-vulnerable areas,” Escarez added.